Registering device for player-piano music rolls



G. BEIDFORD. REGISTERING DEVICE FOR PLAYER PIANO MUSIC ROLLS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23, 1921. 1,434,186.

Patented Oct. 31, 1922.

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GEORGE BEDFORD, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

REGISTERING DEVICE FOR PLAYER-PIANO MUSIC ROLLS.

Application filed June 23, 1921.

To (.LZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, Gnonon Bnoronn of the city of Toronto, in the county of York. Province of Ontario, Canada, a subject of the King of Great Britain, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Registering Devices for Playei--l. iano Music Rolls, of which the following is a specification.

This invention. relates to means for positioning the music rolls of player pianos so that the perforations in the music are properly alined with the apertures in the tracker bar and my object is to devise mechanical means for automatically centering the rolls to compensate for the variations in the width of the rolls which are commonly found.

I attain my object by means of the con structions hereinafter described and. illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1. is a front elevation. partly in section, of part of a player piano action con structed in accordance with my invention;

' Fig. 2 a plan view of the same; and

.Fig. 3 a diagrammatical view of a slight modification illustrating the mode of operation of the device. v

In the drawings like numerals of refer ence indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

1 is that part of the frame of a player piano action which supports the tracker bar, the rollers for the music and the operating mechanism. therefor. 2 is the tracker bar and 3 the roller on to which the music is wound from the original roll. This roller being of ordinary construction and mounted in the ordinary manner requires no detailed description.

Mounted in one side of the frame is a trunnion 4 having its inner end. 5 adapted for detachable engagement with one end of the roller of a music roll in the ordinary manner. This trunnion is freely slidable lengthwise of the frame and is provided with the usual brake drum 6, which serves also to limit the inward movement of the trunnion.

The trunnion 7 for the other end of the roller is mounted to rotate in a. sliding member 8, which is movable longitudinally in the side of the frame 1. The trunnions therefore are free to rotate and also to move axially of the roller 3.

Serial No. 479,918.

Means are provided whereby movement of one trunnion longitudinally imparts the same amount of movement in the opposite direction to the opposite trunnion. This result is attained by means of the following mechanism. The lever 9 is fulcrumed intermediate its ends adjacent the trunnion 7 and is connected at one end by means of the pivoted link 10 to a collar 11 clamped on the sliding member 8. Adjacent the trunnion 1: is a lever com 'n'ising two arms 12 and 13 and the spindle l t with which they are connected. The spindle is journalled in brackets 15 secured to the frame 1. The arm 13 is engaged with the end of the trunnion 1. A connecting rod 16 is pivotally connected with the levers so that the movement of the lever is reversed. the lower end of the lever 9 moving to the left when the arm 13 moves to the right and vice versa.

In order that the positions of the lovers may be adjusted to ensure the centre of the roller being in exact alinement with the centre of the tracker bar. means are provided for varying the effective length of the link. This is conveniently effected by threading the end 17 of the comiecting rod 16 and screwing it through a pin 18 rotatably mounted on the arm 12. A spring 19 is employed tending to move one of the trunnions inwardly towards the centre of the tracker bar. This spring is preferably directly engaged with the sliding member 8 and bears against a shoulder 20 formed thereon and a shoulder within the shell 21 secured to the frame and through the outer end: of which the sliding member slides. The roller is thus easily placed in position by engaging the proper end of the roller with. the trunnion 4L and pushing the roller towards the right. The trunnion 7 then moves back, due to the lever and linkage connection described, and the roller is readily brought into position and the trunnion allowed to engage in its end. under the action of the pressure of the spring.

The action of the device will be more readily seen by a consideration of the modification shown in Fig. 3. In this form each trunnion 22 is shown slidable directly in the frame, and a roller 23 is shown engaged between them. A lever of the first order shown at one side directly engages the end of the trunnion at that side, while a lever of the third order is shown as directly engaging the trunnion 22 at the opposite its fulcrum and its point of side. A connecting rod is shown connected to the opposite end oi the lever 2a to that which engages the trunnion while this connecting rod is pivotally connected with the lever 27 at a point intermediate engagement with the trunnion at that side.

A coil spring 26 engages the lever 24 and a stationary art and operates in the same manne as the spring; 19 shown in Fig. 1.

it will be found with my construction that no matter what irregularities may exist in the length oi? the rollers that the excess or deficiency in length will always be accurately divided between the two trunnions so that the actual middle of the roller will always aline accurately with the centre of the tracker bar. Troublesome and eXpenv sive pneumatic alinement devices may thus be dispensed with while the present device. being automatic is much superior to the manual adjustments sometimes provided.

What I claim as my invention is:--

1. In player piano actions the combination of: a frame; a trunnion journalled in the frame; a member slidably supported at the opposite side of the frame in axial alinement with said trunnion; a trunnion journalled on said slidable member said trunnions beingadapted to receive a music roll between them; a link pivotally connected to said sliding member; a lever of the first order fulcrumed on a stationary part pivotally connected at one end to said link; a spindle journalled adjacent the first mentioned trunnion; an arm on the spindle engaging;- the outer end oi the trunnion; a second arm connected to the spindle and extending in the same direction as the first mentioned arm; a connecting rod pivotally connected to the said arm and the end of the lever remote from the link; and a spring tending to press the trunnions towards one another,

2. In player piano actions, the combine. tion of a frame; a trunnion journallecl in the frame; a member slidably supported at the opposite side of the frame in axial alinement with said trunnion; a trunnion journalled on said slidable member, said trunnions being adapted to receive a music roll between them; a link pivotally connected to said sliding member; a lover of the first order tulcrumed 011 a stationary part pivotally connected at one end to said link; a spindle journalled adjacent the first mentioned trunnion; an arm on the spindle engaging the outer end of the trunnion; a sec- 0nd. arm connected to the spindle and extending in the same direction as the first mentioned arm; a connecting rod pivotally connected to the said arm and the end of the lever remote from the link; and a spring engaging the sliding member and a stationary part and tending to press the trunnions towards one another.

3. In player piano actions, the combination of a frame; a trunnion journalled in the frame; a member slidably supported at the opposite side of the frame in axial alinement with said trunnion; a trunnion journalled on said slidable member, said trunnions being adapted to receive a music roll between them; a link pivotally connected to said sliding member; a lever of the first order fulcrumed on a stationary part pivotally connected at one end to said link; a spindle journalled adjacent the first mentioned trunnion; an arm on the spindle engaging the outer end of the trunnion; a second arm connected to the spindle and extending in the same direction as the first mentioned arm; a connecting rod pivotally connected to the said arm and the end of the lever remote from the link; means for varying the effective length of said connecting rod; and a spring tending to press the trunnions towards one another.

Signed at Toronto Canada, this day of June 1921.

GEORGE BEDFORD. 

